virus: MEME UPDATE #6: The Singularity

Richard Brodie (RBrodie@brodietech.com)
Tue, 15 Apr 1997 15:02:49 -0700


This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

------ =_NextPart_000_01BC49AE.194CEC20
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

[cc'ed to Virus list]
**********************************************************
This is Richard Brodie's Meme Central Newsletter. To
subscribe/unsubscribe, send mail to events@brodietech.com with
"subscribe" or "unsubscribe" in the message body. Visit Meme Central at
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/meme.htm. Books mentioned here and
others are available through the Amazon.Com Memetics Bookstore at
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/books.htm. Start reading VIRUS OF THE
MIND on-line, for FREE, at http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/votm.htm.
**********************************************************

THE SINGULARITY

There's a buzzword around the Internet that's new to most of us. It's
The Singularity. Discussed quite a bit on the Extropians mailing list,
the idea is as follows.

Computers and other technology have been getting faster and therefore
more powerful at a rate that has been fairly constant: doubling every
18 months. Today's P-130 is twice as fast at the 486-66 of 18 months
ago. This constant rate of doubling has been called Moore's law.

At some point, goes the theory, computers will get so fast that they
will surpass us in ability to design new technology. When this happens,
the rate of change itself will begin doubling, which will feed back
into the power of the computers doing the design, which will make the
rate of change even faster, producing...

The Singularity.

I recently had lunch with Eric Drexler, author of what is certainly one
of the best science books ever written, Engines of Creation.
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0385199732/memecentralA/) Eric
predicts The Singularity will occur in about 25 years. After that, we
may all live forever, look like we're in the prime of life, and eat hot
fudge sundaes without getting fat.

For more information on The Singularity, start with
http://tezcat.com/~eliezer/singularity.html.

BLOOM'S "LUCIFER PRINCIPLE" OUT IN PAPERBACK

Howard Bloom and I have become friends since appearing on the Laura Lee
show together. Yesterday he mentioned that his first book, The Lucifer
Principle, is out in paperback. In what is one of the few books yet
written on memetics, Bloom outlines his idea of the "superorganism"
with illustrative examples from history and primate societies. Highly
recommended.

Paperback price is $15, but you get 10% off through the Amazon.com
Memetics Bookstore. Click here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0871136643/memecentralA/

JAPANESE RIGHTS TO "VIRUS OF THE MIND" SOLD

I just signed a deal for the Japanese rights to Virus of the Mind.
Expect publication within 18 months. The Polish edition should be out
next month.

EVENTS

July 3-6, 1997
Richard Brodie will be a speaker and panelist at Westercon 50, the West
Coast Science Fiction Convention, in Seattle.
http://www.isomedia.com/Westercon/

September 18, 1997
Richard Brodie will speak as part of the 1997 Speaker Series on
"creating a culture of meaning" at the Center for the Evolution of
Culture in Palo Alto, California from 8-9:30 p.m. including Q&A. For
tickets and information, contact the Foundation for Global Community at
415-328-7756. http://www.globalcommunity.org
Note: the Mariners are playing the Athletics in Oakland that weekend.
Good time for a little vacation...

All the best memes,

Richard

Richard Brodie RBrodie@brodietech.com +1.206.688.8600
CEO, Brodie Technology Group, Inc., Bellevue, WA, USA
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie
Do you know what a "meme" is?
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/meme.htm

------ =_NextPart_000_01BC49AE.194CEC20
Content-Type: application/ms-tnef
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64
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------ =_NextPart_000_01BC49AE.194CEC20--